World's 1st dual chamber leadless pacemaker begins clinical use in China

Abbott's Aveir DR, the world's first dual chamber leadless pacemaker, has recently been successfully implanted in a patient at Ruijin Hainan Hospital in the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone in Hainan province, marking the device's inaugural clinical application on the Chinese mainland.

Introduced to the Chinese audience during the 6th China International Import Expo in 2023, the innovative pacemaker is set to commence its official clinical utilization across China this year. Designed to cater to the increasing healthcare needs of Chinese patients grappling with bradycardia, a condition characterized by a slow heart rate below 60 beats per minute, the device holds the potential to address a common yet serious cardiac ailment that could compromise blood circulation throughout the body.

Distinguishing itself from existing leadless pacemakers in the market, which are predominantly single chamber devices focused on pacing the right ventricle alone, this system comprises two leadless pacemakers—one for the atria and another for the ventricles. Utilizing implant-to-implant (i2i) communication, these devices establish synchronized pacing between the chambers through low-energy, subthreshold pulses.

The integration of i2i technology not only facilitates seamless communication between the pacemakers but also optimizes device efficiency and safety by minimizing battery current consumption. This conduction-based communication represents a significant advancement over traditional methods, offering enhanced performance and reliability in the treatment of bradycardia.

Zhao Qiang, vice-president and director of cardiac surgery at Ruijin Hainan Hospital, affiliated with the School of Medicine at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, lauded the introduction of the system as a transformative development in the clinical management of bradycardia, which is set to redefine treatment and bolster China's capabilities in cardiac pacing therapy.

Li Junfeng contributed to this story.